02 CANCER CELL BIOLOGY (CCB) PROGRAM ABSTRACT Cancer Cell Biology (CCB) is a multidisciplinary program encompassing diverse scientific endeavors, which provide new discoveries with a focus on developing novel therapeutics and driving further clinical investigation through inter-programmatic collaborations. The overall goals of CCB investigators are to conduct the highest quality basic science research in the thematic focus areas of the program, to elucidate novel pathways and targets involved in tumorigenesis and metastasis, and to develop inhibitors that interfere with those pathways and targets. Three integrated thematic areas within CCB all have strong translational components, and include 1) Signal Transduction Pathways; 2) Tumor Microenvironment and Metastasis; and 3) Gene Expression and Genome Instability. An emerging crosscutting theme in Mitochondria and Cancer Energetics within CCB is especially relevant to the overall CCC strategic plan, given the high rate of obesity within our catchment area, and the increased risk of cancer in this population, with disproportionate representation of African Americans. The CCB program has a strong cancer focus and is co-lead by Drs. Mary-Ann Bjornsti and Ralph Sanderson. There are 49 members from UAB (11 departments and 5 schools), Southern Research Institute and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, with annual direct research support in the amount of $9,642,338, which includes $6,628,357 in cancer related NIH funding. Major accomplishments during the last funding period include: 1) the enhanced translational cancer focus of CCB member science in three integrated thematic focus areas, 2) a robust pipeline of Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance Project, 3) development of a multi-investigator Multiple Myeloma focus group, 4) novel platforms in cancer genomics (HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology) and phenomics, and 5) programmatically aligned Faculty recruitment. Indeed, CCC- supported initiatives including the Alabama Drug Discovery Alliance, the consortium partnership with HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, and the development of new shared resources, facilities, pilot funds and model systems, have promoted the translational cancer focus of science investigations made by CCB investigators. The CCB program has also been highly productive, with 412 publications in the past five years of which 25% were inter-programmatic and 21% were intra-programmatic, and typifies the highly collaborative research programs of CCB members.